BE BRAVE

5 Ways to Get to Know Yourself Better

Do you ever feel frustrated with your life, but cannot quite put your finger on why? One of the most common stumbling blocks to not achieving the life you want is not knowing yourself. This might sound strange, but in the chaos of life, working, bringing up children, and making ends meet, we can lose track of who we are. These five helpful tips can help you get to know yourself better - which in turn will empower you to find your destiny.

1. Journal

Keeping a journal is a tried and tested way of getting to know yourself. Using these prompts is a great way to start that journal, but the bottom line is you can write about anything that comes into your head. Sometimes we are so busy we cannot hear our voice over the internal chatter and are surprised by what comes out when we just allow ourselves to write. So pick a topic and have a go!

What is your perfect day - describe it in detail

What are your insecurities - this can be painful, but worthwhile

What are your feelings about death, and what happens to people when they die

What makes you angry and are there any people you are still angry with

What do you like best about yourself - and what do you dislike

2. Learn a New Skill

By undertaking a learning process, you will discover more about who you are, and what kind of learner you are. At school, we are all forced along the same path, no matter whether it fits our style of learning or not. There is a myriad of online courses available - some free, some not, and a range of colleges offering adult education. Try and step away from conventional subjects that you covered as a child and think about something that ignites your curiosity - astrophysics, crystal healing, the choices are endless! Pick one and see if you can learn more. If you can’t find a course, you can attend or afford - get a book on the subject and have a read.

3. Practice being grateful

The gratitudes will always make an appearance when you read about self-discovery, and for a good reason. Most people sigh and roll their eyes when this comes up, but it is worth doing. It helps your to get a deeper understanding of what is important in your life. Writing down three things you are grateful for each day is an excellent way to start

4. Identifying strengths

There are loads of online tools to help you identify your strengths, and your friends can be a great source of aid here. Ask a few close friends to list their top five qualities for you. This is not an exercise in feeling awesome but gives you an insight into the projection you are leaving on the world.

5. Take the Myers-Briggs test

A widespread tool that can be found on the internet for free. It has been used by individuals and companies for decades and remains a favourite tool for learning more about yourself. You may be surprised about the result but it tends to hold true. Most people get the same result even after years of life changing experiences. There is also a wealth of information about your personality type once you have discovered it, to help you learn even more.

Getting to know yourself is a valuable exercise that can help you if you feel that life has stalled and you are not making progress or meeting the people you believe you should. Acknowledging that we can be the block to our own life is painful, but less likely to happen if we take the time to get to know who we truly are.